Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect
by Starlight's Poet
Summary: A girl with a pendant of unknown significance. A Knightmare unlike anything the world has seen. And a lifetime of change. Lelouch never would have expected this when he started his rebellion.
1. Episode 01

_Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect_

* * *

 **"Shut up! I did what I had to do. People lie to survive. No one is blameless." -Lelouch vi Britannia**

* * *

"Rei, run!"

Those two words sent the girl running, her father running behind her as thunder boomed from outside, rain pelting the windows.

The little girl nearly stumbled in her sprint, but managed to catch herself. As soon as she made it past the door, the sound of gunfire reverberated through the air.

"Daddy!" The little girl cried.

"Rei! Wait right there!" Her father commanded.

Her father pulled her away at the last second, the door being reduced to mere shreds, flying wooden shards going into the air. "Tch!" the man scowled, holding his daughter close as he jumped over the railing, being on the second floor. Gunfire went flying close to them, the men after them firing from below. Whirling around, Rei's father turned to face them as they descended, and began to fire bullets at them, a gun held firmly in his hand.

They hit the ground, yet still firing bullets. Up above, he found a few dead in the second floor, bodies left hanging on the railing. Up above, he found a few left behind, all armed with rifles... and all baring down at him

"Dammit! More of them!" The man cursed as he quickly moved and scooped his daughter in his arms. The bullets impacted right behind him as he broke out in a sprint.

He held Rei tightly in his arms, moving through the house before he broke through the glass door, holding his little close, growling in pain when shards pierced into his skin.

"Daddy!" The little girl cried out in concern.

"It's alright Rei, just a scratch!" He assured her, barely registering the pain.

The pain hadn't stopped him from running, eventually moving into the docks. A storm had been brewing outside, angry dark clouds writhing above them, and rain flowing down upon them.

The man's eyes were drawn to a single boat at the docks just a little further down the path. The only route that's free from pursuers.

He quickly moved across the docks, reaching the end of it. He gently put his daughter down, and knelt down, pulling out the jagged shard in his shoulder. "D-daddy!" Rei cried out. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, if strained and forced.

"I... I'm fine." he told her. He took a good at his daughter, and couldn't help but remark how much she looked like him and his loved one... the same beautiful violet eyes, and the same flowing green hair. She... she was just so beautiful... almost like an angel, something he could hardly believe. "Rei... I need you to listen to me, alright?"

Rei nodded, a hand placed against her cheek. "I need you to get to Ashford Academy... You know where it is, right?"

"U-Uh-huh!" She nodded.

"Good." The man then took something from his pocket and handed it to her. "I want you to keep this safe until you get there."

Rei gently took it into her hands. It looked like a silver pendant resembling a bid in mid-flight, with a sword struck in the center. She recognized it immediately, but what made it odd was that it was in a red crystal, which appeared to glitter.

"D-D-Daddy...?"

"When you get there...please show this to-" But he was cut off as a bullet impacted behind him.

He cried out in pain, holding his shoulder as he whirled around to see the men chasing after him. However, they had brought company. All around them were Lancelot Vincents, carrying crimson blades and rifles.

 _'...Dammit...!'_ he swore silently due to his daughter present. "...So they pulled out the big artillery huh...?"

"D-Daddy...!" Rei whimpered, clinging to him closely. The man bore only a scowl as they slowly approached him, guns ready to end him and his daughter. "I-I'm scared...!"

He wrapped his arms around her, only bore anger. "Enough of this..." he growled. "That's ENOUGH!"

The water trembled, exploding behind him and the boat, creating a small tremor. The advancing group halted, and backpedaled when something came crashing down on them. A flash of lightning banged across the sky, creating an illumination on it's form.

It was a mechanized behemoth. A majority of its armor was pale green in color while the inner frame was a darker shade of green and black. It's arms were about 1.5 times larger than its legs and connected to it's bulky torso. It had no distinguishable head as it was integrated right between the shoulders into the main body.

It was a head taller than the Vincents, though it's lower body was less bulky than the rest of it. A swishing, metal tail whirled around from where the tailbone would be if it were a human body, and it's hands were like sharpened claws, the tips sharp as blades. What could be considered the head, right in between the shoulders, was a small bulbous shape, bearing a blackened visor, and an emblem on top of it.

The soldiers immediately expressed surprise, but it had lasted only for a short while as they soon opened fire. The Vincents, carrying their VARIS rifles, took aim, and began to shoot at it. The green Knightmare didn't even look the least bit fazed by the hail of blasts and bullets, and instead reared it's head, and a whirrled to life. It had almost sounded as if it were letting out a mechanical roar. Then, it leaped into the action, hands outstretched, ready to tear the Knightmares to scrap metal.

It's claws wrapped around the nearest Vincent. In a powerful grip, it had crushed the victim Knightmare and the pilot inside.

The sharp claws pierced straight into the metal, creating little more than a small, crumpled lump. With a quick twirl, the damaged Vincent still in hand, it slammed it's empty corpse into another one, allowing the hull to fall out of it's grasp, and sent it straight to the ground.

It did not stop its assault as it grabbed another Knightmare with its free hand, and used the crumpled shell to bash the soldiers on foot.

"D-Daddy!" Rei shouted as her father stood up, gun in hand. He clutched the wound on his shoulder, wincing in pain. Blood was seeping into his clothes, running down his arm. He certainly didn't miss this feeling in the least. He gritted his teeth, seeing a few foot soldiers running toward him, while the green Knightmare was busy tearing apart the Vincents, failing in trying to destroy it or keep it locked down.

"Get to the boat!" he shouted as he opened fire, forcing them to take cover. "Get to Ashford!"

"B-but...!" She couldn't just leave him.

"Don't argue with me young lady! Just go!"

He turned to her, a smile on his face. The way things were now... this was the least he could offer her. "I'll be fine, Rei." he said gently. "Don't worry... Your father's a strong man."

"But Daddy...I...!"

"Please! Just go!"

Rei felt tears running down her eyes, along with the rain. Despite that smile, and his assurances... she didn't want to leave him. She already lost her mother... she didn't want to lose her father too. She desperately tried to say something, something that could at least get him to come with her, but... there was nothing she could say. No words, no pleads.

She sobbed as she whirled around, heading straight for the boat. The soldiers opened fire, trying to stop her, but found themselves being shot at themselves, her father using his gun.

"Like hell I'm letting any of you hurt my daughter!" He snarled.

Jan 3Rei hopped into the boat, bullets flying over head, and causing her to scream. Her father snarled as he opened fire, shooting the rope that held the boat in place, and then the automatic wheel. Instantly, the boat began to shiver, and slowly lurch forward. Within moments, it was beginning to move forward. "D-Daddy!" Rei screamed, running o the side. "Daddy!"

As the boat began to move, she let out a scream. "DAAAADDY!"

The man looked over his shoulder to see his daughter leaving in the distance. "Go on Rei...I know you can do it..."

He grinned in assurance, even as bullets began to pierce through his body. Three seconds, and bullets had blown straight into him. The green Knightmare was preoccupied dealing with the Vincents, still ripping them apart while they tried to evade it, and blow it apart.

The turned to face his assailants as more bullets were shot into his body.

A second passed before his body hit the ground on his knees, and then fell to the floorboards. Red seemed to dance around him, which only seemed to spread as the rain continued to pelt down on him. "Dammit, we lost the girl." one of the soldiers cursed as they walked over to his body. They were all dressed in dark, black suits, each of them wielding guns of various types.

"Doesn't matter," the apparent leader of the group said coldly, looking down at the man's corpse. "He's the one we're after."

From behind them, the green Knightmare whirled around, smashing it's fist into a Vincent, sending it tumbling to the ground while it's chest held a large dent, as if it were mere tin foil. It immediately noticed the man's body, and tried to run over, as if hoping to somehow save him, only to be halted by the remaining four Vincents. They were intent on keeping it at bay, regardless of how outmatched they were.

"Still, this is kinda disappointing." another soldier snickered. "I'd though he would have gone down with more a fight. Is he seriously supposed to be the one who-"

"...good grief, guns today are so much more efficient than they used to be."

The assailants paused in shock and turned to the supposed corpse.

The bullet-riddled body slowly rose up, the projectiles being purged from his wounds and clinking onto the ground.

"I-Impossible..."

"They fire a lot more bullets now, don't they..." the man mused, swaying on his feet as a demonic smile made it's way to his face. The blood that dribbled from his mouth, along with the bloody stains on his clothes, had only his overall appearance that much more terrifying. "You people... have a lot of nerve, attacking MY family like that." He glared up at them, his violet eyes turning a light shade of crimson, and a bird-like sigil appearing over his eyes.

"A-A monster...!" One of them cried.

"A Monster...? I actually prefer the term...Demon..." He grinned. "Now...if you would all be so kind...Kill yourselves!"

The bird-like sigil flapped it's wings, emerging from his eye, and then diving straight into their own irises.

The command traveled through the nerves of the brain before it reached its core. Signals changed as their bodies became absolutely obedient. Red rings appeared around their irises, all of them having deranged grins on their faces.

"HAPPILY YOUR HIGHNESS!" They trained their guns to the vital points of their bodies. "FIRE!"

Triggers were pulled. Blood splattered.

And in the midst of their corpses was Rei's father, who held a hand over his face. Some blood had splashed against his cheek, and was slowly being wiped away by the rain. He showed no reaction to a Vincent flying past him, falling into the water, sparks clashing over it's chest. Ahead of him, the green Knightmare stood admist a wreckage of Knightmares, surrounded by smoldering flames and shreded Vincents. Victorious, it reared it's head back once again, letting loose a triumphant mechanical roar.

"She'll be safe..." the man whispered to himself, even as tears began to fall from his face. "I know she will... But... Was what I did... the right thing?" A choked sob escaped him, staggering on his feet as he fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Rei..." he whispered. Even if what he did was to protect her, he had no guarantee that she would be safe at Ashford, even with 'him' there to look after her. It was a gamble he was taking, and there was no telling what would happen. He could possibly lose everything he worked so hard to protect... all for the second time in his miserable life.

"Forgive me... Cecaniah..."

* * *

 _ **Episode 1: The Girl from the Morning Dew**_

* * *

Lelouch was having a bad day, worse so than usual... and somehow, it all revolved around a certain she-devil he had tried to avoid.

"Dammit Milly...I swear...you are not mentally stable!" He cursed.

The blonde-haired bombshell in front of him only gave him a Cheshire grin, sapphire blue eyes slanted in deviousness. Milly Ashford was the daughter of the head of the Ashford Family, which had, at one point, once been in nobility. She certainly held a bombshell-like figure, but what made her rather terrifying in some regards was her flirtatious, and overall, devious personality, which has caused him nothing but trouble on more than one occasion. It was bad enough that she was a childhood friend.

"Oh, you know you love me~" she winked at him. "But in all seriousness, I do need you to do this for me."

"Do you even know what your asking?!" he hissed in exasperation. "This is a month's worth of work your asking me to do!"

"And I know no one else who can do it in such a short time than you, Lulu." Milly rebutted.

"Grgh!" The violet eyed teen sighed in exasperation.

The boy gripped his hair in frustration. Honestly, why must this woman run him so raggedly?! Even if he was in charge of the budget maintenance with Nina, this was a lot to ask him. And even worse, this was for the major clubs, like the Science Club or the Equestrian Club, or namely any that had funding priorities. It irked him to know that they were merely using this money for personal gain rather than for what it was supposed to be used for, but there was little he can do.

He sighed in resignation, taking the small thumb drive from her. "...alright."

"Good! I knew I could count on you!" She gave him a playful grin.

 _'Yeah...and pretty much everything else in the Council...'_ he thought wryly.

"At any rate," Milly said, her smile softening. "I really am grateful. Grandfather can barely handle the income by himself, so it really does mean a lot."

"I know, Milly." he told her. "I know."

The blonde smiled in gratitude as she pivoted on her heel, regaining her infamous smile. "Now that that's over and done with!" she grinned cheekily. "Let's go bug the others back in the Council Room!"

"Isn't that really your job?"

"Well, maybe...But you're coming along for the ride!" She grabbed him by the wrist and proceeded to pull him out the room and through the halls.

When they had reached the courtyard, Lelouch still in her grasp, the violet-eyed teen struggled, trying to pry her hand off his wrist. "D-dammit, will you let go?" he hissed, not liking being dragged around like a doll. "And why are you bringing me along?!"

"Why the heck not?" she remarked, letting go of him momentarily as she whirled around to face him again. "It's a lot more fun to be around others, don't you think?"

Lelouch looked away. If by others, she meant the ignorant Britannians leeching off the suffering of others? No thanks. His friends on the other hand were a different story.

Despite all their quirks and backstories, he cared for each of them. Rivalz was like something of an amusing second best friend, the title of first best friend reserved for Suzaku, and was like his partner-in-crime during his scandalous adventures regarding his gambling escapades. Shirley was a friend as well, though he suspected she wanted to be something more... and she was like a protective mother, vastly disapproving of his habits. Nina was the shy and quiet one, but she was quite the brainiac, as both of them shared common ground when it came to mathematics and theories.

And then... there was Suzaku. His best friend for seven years, despite his nationality, and probably the only person in the entire school, besides everyone in Student Council, whom he could tolerate.

He was grateful to have these types of people in their life. Not like the parasites that he had once known back in the mainland of Britannia. Here...he had true bonds with people.

And he couldn't have had it any other way.

"...if you say so." Lelouch shrugged his shoulders. Milly simply grinned at his reaction, reading him like a book.

"Then come on! Let's go say...hi..." She trailed off when she saw something over his shoulder, her face expressing mild confusion. "...what in the hell?"

Lelouch frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking over his shoulder and following her line of sight. "Is there some...thing..."

His eyes widened at what he saw.

It was a little girl...probably around 7 or 8 years old...her clothing was scuffled and dirty and her lime-green hair was all over the place. She was face down and didn't seem to be moving.

Immediately, the two ran over to her in a hurry. "H-hey!" Milly shouted out at her, reaching her first. "Are you okay?!" She bent down and gently picked her up. Lelouch reached her soon afterward, and got a much better look at her. She was still only a child, her unusual hair cut short to the chin, and her eyes closed, a few strands gently framing around her nose, and another hanging above her right eyelid. Her clothing, despite being ragged and dirty, was actually very beautiful, being a simple white dress that ended at her ankles and elbows. However, it was transparent, heavily soaked and sticking to her skin.

"She's soaked to the bone." he observed. "What in the world is she doing here? Moreover, how did she get inside?"

"I dunno." Milly replied, looking her over. "She doesn't look like she's injured, and she seems to be unconscious."

"We should take her to the infirmary. But first we need to get her warm." The violet eyes teen stated as he took off his blazer and wrapped it around the girl. Her body temperature was lower than normal. There was no telling how long she had been in this state. For all they know, she could be on the verge of catching pneumonia.

Still though...why was this colored hair so familiar...?

* * *

When Rei awoke, she found herself staring at a plain, white ceiling. The site itself did not register or cause for alarm, as she felt her mind in a tizzy, slightly lost and muddled in sleep, bearing drowsy eyes. "M-mmnrgh..."

She was on the fence of consciousness and unconsciousness. The lull of slumber was so tempting...but the remembering of her father's parting words brought her back.

"A-Ash...ford..." she mumbled, her mind soon becoming clearer. Her eyes became sharpened, and her senses returning to her. It was only now that she realized she was within a foreign environment, and became bewildered. She looked around the room, unsure of where she was, nor how she arrived her. It reminded her of a hospital room, with all the beds and white curtains surrounding them, but it looked more like something one would find in a school. Was she in a school?

"I-is this..." Her eyes widened as she rose up, white blankets falling off her body. "A-Ashford Academy?"

"As a matter of fact," a voice said beside her. "It is!"

"H-hwaaaa!"

The sudden announcement nearly threw the girl off the infirmary bed. Fortunately she was able to catch herself and whipped her head to the speaker.

It was an adult, maybe around her daddy's age, with platinum blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, wearing what looked like the Ashford Academy uniform, a tan blazer with a dress shirt underneath, a black tie, and a skirt. Rei couldn't help but stare at her more finer parts, her hands unconsciously reaching her chest. This just wasn't fair... what did you have to eat to get a chest like that?

"Whoa, you okay there, kiddo?" the blonde asked. "You shouldn't move around so much."

Rei wasn't sure who this woman was, but... she seemed nice. Plus, she didn't try to hurt her, so she couldn't be someone bad, despite what her daddy taught her. Besides... something about her made her want to trust her.

"U-um..."

The blonde smiled. "I'm glad your awake though." she said sweetly. "My name's Milly. What's yours?"

The girl's eyes widened...Milly...? She recalled her daddy telling her that a girl named Milly was one of his closest friends...and the she-devil.

"U-um..." she said shyly. "M-my name's... Rei."

"Rei, huh?" Milly grinned. "That's a very cute name."

"T-thanks!" she smiled back. "My daddy and mommy gave it to me! It's Japanese, for zero!"

"Japanese...?" The woman fuddled her brow. Why would her parents name her in an Eleven fashion? Not that she minded it, but a vast majority of Britannians looked down upon that sort of thing. Generally, they had no reason to adopt the culture of others...they just force theirs upon others.

"Mm!" Rei nodded. "S-so, um... Miss Milly?"

"Milly's fine, kiddo."

"O-okay..." she nodded nervously. "I-is this, um.. Ashford Academy?"

"You betcha!" She smiled kindly. She was not a prejudicial person. Even if her name was Japanese, that did not give anyone a right to judge her.

Rei's face brightened. Yes! She had made it!

 _'...oh, wait...'_ Suddenly, she felt the rush of pride deflate only seconds later, lowering her head in depression. _'Daddy wasn't able to tell me who I was supposed to show the pendant to.'_ Then, she had a thought. _'Oh, maybe Milly might know! She's supposed to be one of daddy's friend's after all!'_

Figuring this to be the acceptable option, he tried to reach into her pocket to show it to the woman...

...only she didn't find it in her pocket...or even her pockets!

"Oh-oh no...!" she immediately became panicked, searching frantically in her dress. "Wh-where is it?! Where is it?!"

"Do you mean this?" Rei's head whipped around to see Milly pulling something from her breast pocket. Her eyes widened to see that it was the pendant in her hands. The moment she saw it, she quickly swiped it from Milly's hands, much to the woman's shock. She didn't make any comments to it, however, as she held it dearly close to her, clutching to it like a lifeline. "...I'm sorry for taking it without asking." she apologized. "We found it after we brought you here. It dropped from your dress." Her face softened. "Is it... important to you?"

Rei nodded.

"I see..." The woman nodded. She saw how the girl held the item preciously. It must be significant to her.

"I-its..." Rei sniffled, memories of how her father protected her from those scary men in the suits coming back. "Its... the last thing daddy gave me..." Tears began to fall from her face, her voice becoming choked with emotion. "B-before he... before he...!"

The girl suddenly felt a pair of warm arms wrapped around her, and her head resting on something soft. The girl looked up and saw it was Milly.

"Ssh, it's okay..." she whispered soothingly. "It's all going to be okay..."

The blonde woman noticed the pain and fear in her eyes. Something terrible must;ve happened to her.

She simply held the girl as she began to cry, the small child's tears staining her shirt. They stayed like this for a few minutes before Rei calmed down, her sobs lowering, and wiping away her tears. "All better now, sweetie?" she asked, earning a nod. "I won't ask what happened to you, or your dad, but..." A confused frown formed on her face. "What are you doing here at Ashford?"

"D-Daddy said..." she hiccuped, rubbing away the last of the tears. "T-that I needed to come here." She held up the red pendant containing the mark etched within it. "And t-that I should show this to someone here."

"Show it to someone?" She looked at her quizzically.

"Uh-huh."

Milly gently took the pendant, after asking permission, of course, and examined it. It was certainly a beautiful piece of craftsmen ship, and was genuinely curious of how it was made. She was also curious about the mark within. It looked like a bird in mid-flight, at least in shape when seen from a distance, but what appeared to be a sword was run through in the middle.

"Pretty..." she commented, handing it back to Rei. "So, do you know who your supposed to show it to?"

Rei shook her head sadly. "No... he never got to tell me." She looked up at Milly. "Do you know?"

"How should I know?" the blonde asked rhetorically. "I've never seen this before... Actually, out of curiosity, what's your dad's name?"

"O-oh, his name is-"

"Pardon the intrusion," a voice called out as the door opened.

The two females turned, seeing various people enter the room. They were all the same age as Milly, and wearing the same uniforms. The first was a girl with a large bust (much to Rei's dismay) and light orange hair, and the second was a girl with a slim, pale build, having black hair tied into a small ponytail, and grasses sitting on top of her nose. The boys wore black uniforms with gold trims, the first having short blue hair and a goofy smile, while the other had curly brown hair and soft green eyes, having a more reserved look to him.

"There you are, Madam president!" the orange-haired girl said, slightly annoyed judging by her tone. "We were looking everywhere...for..."

The girl promptly trailed off when she saw Rei sitting on the bed, looking a bit shocked and perhaps anxious to see so many people around her, meeting them for the first time, students or no.

"Hey," the blue-haired student. "Is she the kid you and Lelouch found?"

"As a matter of fact, she is." Milly smiled. "Guys, this is Rei."

The green-haired girl reacted to having been called on, bowing her head respectfully. "H-hello!"

"It's nice to meet you." Shirley greeted.

"Y-yeah!" Rivalz nodded as well, unsure how to be addressed so formally.

"H-hello..." Nina greeted shyly, rubbing her hands together nervously.

Suzaku smiled, bowing his head. "Ohayo."

Rei's eyes lit up instantly when she heard that word. "Oh, that's Japanese for hello, right?" she asked. "My daddy taught me how to speak Japanese!" Then, she made a pouting face. "Although... I don't get kanji at all. There's too many letters."

"Eh?" Milly blinked. "Rei, are you an Eleven, by any chance?"

The girl tilted her head, a confused expression on her face. "What's... an Eleven?"

"U-uh...an Eleven is...well..." Milly wasn't sure how to answer. The girl didn't appear to be an Eleven...but she could be a half-breed. But he wasn't willing to hurt her by telling her what an Eleven was...

"She doesn't look like an Eleven," Suzaku said, walking over. "Rei, was it? Are you Britannian?"

Rei nodded. "Mm. Daddy was Britannian, but... I dunno about mommy. Daddy never mentioned. I think she was Britannian too."

Shirley frowned. "So, she's Britannina, but they gave her an Eleven name?"

Rei pouted. "...is my name not cute?"

"No no...It definitely is." Shirley waved her hands in denial. She didn't mean it that way. She was just perplexed by the situation.

Rei grinned. "Daddy said it's the name of the guy who makes miracles!" she said proudly. Suzaku chuckled a bit. He had to admit, she was certainly cute for a child. Still... he was a bit surprised He felt as if he had seen that hair color before, but he definitely remembered seeing eyes like those before. The only people he knows who have eyes like those are his friend and his sister.

"Oh, we should introduce ourselves, huh?" Shirley giggled nervously. "My name's Shirley!"

"Heya!" the blue-haired boy grinned. "I'm Rivalz! Nice to meet you!"

"I-I'm Nina..." the shy girl nodded. "N-nice to meet you."

"My name's Suzaku," the brunette smiled kindly. "It's a pleasure."

"Suzaku...?!" The girl jumped up in surprise. That was the name of her daddy's best friend. What were the odds?

The boy nodded, though he was a bit surprised by her reaction. Had they met before? ...no, that would be impossible. She was so young, and he would definitely remember her with that hair color.

"Hey," Milly spoke up, looking around the room. "Where's Lelouch?"

"He said he was going to check up on Nunnally." Rivalz explained. "She was running a small fever."

Rei's eyes widened. Nunnally?! Wasn't that...?

"So, Rei..." Suzaku kneeled down to her eye level, retaining his smile. "What brings you here to Ashford?"

"Ah yes..." The little girl blushed from the encounter. As she got a closer look, she noticed how handsome the man before her was. But she remembered what she was here for. She held up the pendent. "My Daddy told me to come here and show this to someone...not sure who though..."

"Show it to someone?" he repeated, gently taking it. He held up it up by the string, staring into the crystal. "Huh... I've never seen a pendant like this before."

"It looks pretty." Shirley commented, taking a look at it. She turned to Rei. "Do you know who your supposed to show this to?"

Rei shook her head. "Daddy never got around to telling me." she said. Before the memories of what happened at her house could return, Milly gently stroked her head.

"It's alright." she said, smiling. "We'll show this to whoever your dad is looking for."

"R-really?!" she asked excitedly, a bright smile on her face. The blonde woman grinned. "Oh, thank you, Milly!"

"You're welcome." Her heart was warmed by the innocent smile.

"But Prez..." Rivalz begun asking. "Where would we even start looking?"

"He kinda has a point," Suzaku agreed. "We really don't have much to go on."

"Have ye a little faith." Milly told them, smirking. "Where there's a will, there's a way!" She sucked in her breath, rearing her head. Instantly, everyone besides Rei knew what was going to happen, and instinctively covered their ears.

"GUTS!"

The little girl flinched from the sudden shout. Guts? What was she talking about? Was she alright...?

"Really, Madam President?" Shirley inquired, wincing from the intensity of the shout. "Really?"

"What?" she shrugged, smirking. "You people need motivation."

"...with all due respect, Madam President," a familiar voice called out as the door opened once again. "That spell doesn't work as well as you think."

Rei's breath hitched, and her eyes widened.

Her attention was focused on the teen that entered the room. That black hair, lean build, and violet eyes...there was no mistaking it...it was her...

"Daddy?"

Her voice was almost like a whisper, so quiet and low that hardly anybody could hear her. Lelouch gave Milly a questioning glance as he walked into the room. "I think it's the perfect way to get everybody amped up!" Milly replied back to his comment. "It certainly gets you motivated, doesn't it?"

A sigh escaped him. "What am I going to do with you?" he muttered, face-palming before looking to the girl. Her face was set into a look of relief and joy, her mouth left hanging open, and eyes wide. "Oh, she's awake?"

"Guess so," Suzaku chuckled in a joking manner. "Her name's Rei, by the way."

"I see. It's nice to meet you." He said to the girl.

He smiled gently as he crouched down. Rei simply stared at him in bewilderment before tears finally fell from her face, shocking everyone in the room. "...D-daddy..."

Lelouch blinked. "Eh?"

"DADDY!"

"Wha-AGH?!"

The violet eyed teen was thrown back as the girl jumped out of the bed and tackled him to the ground.

"D-daddy...!" Rei sniffled, her arms wrapped his neck, and her face buried in his shoulder. "Daddy!"

The group was silent, blinking rapidly while Lelouch groaned, his head spinning from colliding with the ground. A pregnant silence fell on the group for several seconds before their brains finally registered what the small little girl had said.

A second passed. Two, then three. Finally-

"EEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH?!"

"Wha...when...how...What?!"

Everyone had the exact same expression on their faces, perfectly imitating a gaping fish. "L-LULU!" Shirley screeched, her face bright crimson. "W-WHEN?! WHEN DID YOU...?!"

"I-I didn't...!" He was now panicking. "I'm not...!"

"Then why did she call you daddy?!"

"L-Lelouch..." Suzaku gaped, unable to believe what she just heard. "D-did you seriously?!"

"Dammit, no!" he growled, temporarily forgetting that there was a child in the room. "I don't know her!"

"Dude, she just called you her dad!" Rivalz shouted in disbelief. "Spill it! Who did you knock up?!"

"I'm still a virgin, you idiot!" the violet-eyed teen snapped, not caring that this information could be used against him later on. He was just as confused as they were. What the hell was going on?! Why was this girl calling him her dad?! He knew for a fact that he was still a virgin, and his trusts his memory without fail. Never once has he gotten drunk, so he couldn't have done it under the influence of alcohol.

So who the heck was she?!

"U-um... Rei, sweetie?" Milly asked shakily, a trembling smile on her face as she tried to get the girl's attention. "W-what exactly did you say your family name was?"

"I-it's... Lamperouge." Rei sniffled, looking up at Milly and the rest of them. "R-Rei Lamperouge."

The others stared at Lelouch once more. Now that the little girl said it, there was no denying it.

The girl... was his daughter.

But...how was this even possible?

Lelouch was 17 years old. and the girl looked to be around 7 or 8...so it just couldn't be possible!

"D-daddy...!" Rei sniffled, hugging him tightly. "I-I thought...I thought..." She began to sob, clutching to him for dear life as if her existence depended on it.

Lelouch's eyes softened. At that moment, he didn't care if the scenario was impossible. What was reality before him was a little, frightened girl who had previously met tragedy.

A sigh escaped him, muttering something under his breath before gently wrapping her arms around the small child.

"It will be alright..." He spoke softly to her. "Don't worry anymore..."

In response, the girl hugged him tighter.

"Daddy..." She held onto him like a lifeline.

The group couldn't help but notice how Lelouch treated the small child. It was almost as if he really were her father... but, that was impossible. Lelouch was seventeen! She was, what? Seven? Eight?

Moreover... what did it have to do with that pendant? Suzaku glanced down at it, still holding it in his hand. It seemed to glow in the light, revealing the mark within. He was still unable to distinguish what the mark represented. But he felt that it was supposed to have some significance.

"Just who in the world..." he murmured. "Is she?"

That was the question on everyone's minds. This girl claimed Lelouch to be her father...but he was just too young.

"Just what in the world is going on?"

 **-Part 1 of 5: END-**


	2. Episode 02

_Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect_

* * *

 **"Those of you with power, fear us! Those of you without it, rally behind us! We, the Black Knights, shall be the ones to stand in judgement over this world!" -Zero**

* * *

It was late into the evening when Milly told Lelouch the news. He took it as well as she expected, leaning against the table with his face in his hands, dragging them down to reveal the unusual sight of tired violets and a look of dread and uncertainty.

The room was empty, sans with himself and Milly as it's sole occupants. It was also late into the night, having been only a day since the arrival of Rei, who was still sleeping in the infirmary until they were sure what to do about her living arrangements.

"...your positive about this, Milly?" Lelouch asked, his voice grim and worn. It was obvious the news he heard had troubled him greatly. "Your absolutely sure?"

Milly nodded seriously. "Yeah... I've checked it thoroughly. I've even done a double check, and the results came back the same." The blonde's face softened. "Rei's DNA... it's the same as yours, Lelouch. It also matches with Nunnally's."

A somber smile crossed his face as he palmed his head, unable to believe this unexpected turn of events. "So, in other words..."

"Yeah... She's related to the Royal Family."

"...Dammit..." He cursed. He wasn't upset from the fact that Rei was related to him and Nunnally...he was upset by the fact she really is from the Royal Lineage in general.

A little girl...a member of this wretched bloodline...

Very few were aware that Lelouch was, in truth, a member of the Royal Family. His mother, Marianne Lamperouge, was hailed as the Knight of Two, and would have succeeded Bismarck Waldstein, were it not for the fact that the Emperor, Charles zi Britannia, had asked for her hand in marriage, hence leading to her adopt the name of Marianne vi Britannia. Lelouch was the eleventh prince of Britannia, and seventeenth in line for the throne... or at least he was, until Charles disinherited him after he forfeited his claim to the throne after the man refused to do his mother's murderer justice and end their miserable life. It would be seven years since that incident, once tomorrow has come to pass.

He could question why Rei was somehow related to him. He could attribute it to a number of theories, perhaps a relative of the Lamperouge family prior to his mother's marriage, but right now, he was concerned for the girl's safety. Her namesake made it clear that whoever raised her had not taught her about the hardships of the outside world, and if people were to learn that the girl held sympathy for the Japanese, who have been conquered and squandered by their oppressors... he didn't want to think about the consequences. For now, all he could really do was make sure he did everything he possibly could to keep her from becoming apart of that damned family's corrupted clutches.

He had nearly lost his sister to the cruelty of the royal family, and the pains and sufferings it brought upon them... and he dared not think of what would happen to a girl so young.

"So..." Milly sighed as she set the papers down. "What should we do? I mean, we can't just leave her. She's only a little girl."

Milly was right. There was no way they could let such a defenseless girl fend for herself in the outside world. Especially since she would be seen as an Japanese sympathizer in the eyes of those goddamn social darwinists.

And that begged the question... just what should they do? Milly was confused and uncertain, but Lelouch seemed to have already had the answer. "...well, she thinks I'm her father, so why not play the part?"

"Wait...are you serious, Lelouch?" Milly asked with wide eyes. The boy before her was the LAST person she would ever think to suggest such a thing.

"Of course I am."

To him, it only seemed logical. She was somehow related to him, so that did make her apart of his family to some extent. Even if the details were murky, she was family, and family takes care of family. That was how he saw it, anyway. Another reason was because he didn't feel right letting a girl as young as that being left alone, all by herself. In the current era, those without power were crushed underfoot, and someone as young as her would die in only a few days, especially with how she didn't see the Japanese as mere subhumans. However, the greatest reason was his attachment to her. He wasn't sure why, but, somehow... he felt himself attracted to the girl, as odd as it sounded. Ever since he found her, he felt this strange feeling, this urge to protect her and care for her. He couldn't quite explain it, but the feeling was there, and he found it hard to ignore.

With that said, he would take care of her, no questions asked. Besides, he could easily support another mouth to feed with all of the money he's been racking up.

Truly, gambling with the nobility had its perks, especially if you were the one always winning.

It also helped the fact that most of his opponents were skillfully below him in chess.

Milly stared at him, as if convinced that she were looking at an impostor before she sighed, palming her forehead. "Well, I guess that's the best option we have right now." she said in resignation. "After all, she's pretty attached to you. I doubt she'd rather be with anyone else."

The ebony-haired teen smirked. "Maybe... Also, any news on that pendant her father gave her, or whoever she's supposed to give it to?"

"Nope." The blonde bombshell shook her head. "I asked my grandfather, and he said he didn;t have a clue either."

The boy sighed. Just what on earth was so important about that pendant, and whoever was supposed to recognize it? And that mark... why did it look so familiar? So many questions, few answers.

For now, the only option was to wait.

"Is Rei still awake?"

"I think so," Milly said thoughtfully, a finger at her chin. "Why? Do you want to take her home already?"

"I should. But I also want to talk with her first...she's been through a lot and she deserves some form of comfort."

"Wow...spoken like a true father..." Milly teased.

Lelouch gave her a mock-glare. "Whatever you say, She-Devil."

"I prefer the term, Succubus," the blonde grinned. "Anyway, let's go see if she's up."

* * *

 ** _Episode 2: Ripples across the Ocean_**

* * *

Rei was bored. Immensely bored. Super bored. Over the top bored. Bored of being bored.

In summation...she was simply bored.

There was absolutely NOTHING to do in the room she was in. She was currently just sitting on her bed staring out the window.

Of course, Nina had been kind enough to give her some books to read, but they were all so boring. In all honesty, she'd much rather read one of her father's books. Those always had adventure that left her thrilled, as according to her mother, each was a document that told the story of the masked hero, Zero. That alone was what made her read the book in the first place.

Zero...the hero had completely captured her interest the moment she read about him.

Strong and charismatic...he was the sole leader for the Black Knights.

The Black Knights were a group of people that were led by Zero, and by all rights were they considered to be criminals and vigilantes. Some even believed that they were acting simply for their own benefit, but to her, she saw it differently.

To her, the Black Knights were heroes. They were the shining beacons of hope in an endless sea of corruption and despair.

She didn't know much about Britannia, or the outside world. Her father just told her it was a dangerous place then, and because of something he did, he couldn't show his face to anyone, lest someone recognize him. Recalling that particular fact brought forth the unpleasant memory of how her father nearly died.

She was so glad that he was alive!

She didn't know how. She didn't know why. But her father was still alive and well. He even managed to come to Ashford with her.

She did notice a few things, though. For one, he looked a bit younger, and he seemed to be a bit more... reclusive. The most obvious difference was his hair. For as long as she's known him, his hair was always so long, but now it had been cut short. Oh well, that didn't matter! As far as she was concerned, she was glad to be with her father again!

If only her mother was here as well. Then they all could be one happy family again.

As she was thinking this, the door to the infirmary opened. To her joy, it was her father. "Oh, Daddy!"

"...Hello, Rei." Lelouch smiled as he entered. He still had to get used to being called that.

Who would have thought he'd be called "Daddy" at sixteen? He looked at her bed, and couldn't help but feel amazed. There were several books piled near the foot of the bed, a few being text books, and already there were several bookmarks. "Did you already finish your books?"

"Uh-huh," Rei nodded. "They were kinda boring though..."

"I see. None of them caught your interest?"

"nope."

Lelouch smiled wryly. Given that they were mostly textbooks of elementary grade level and children books, she must have had a good education. "I'll see if I can find some books that you like, okay?" he said, earning an excited smile from the girl. "Well, anyway, we haven't found the person your supposed to show that pendant too, but Milly's working on it."

At this, Rei became disheartened, evident by her sullen pout. She went to all of that trouble to get here, only to learn that the person she was supposed to find wasn't here. Even her father was here, and he couldn't find them. She wondered who they were if her father trusted them enough by showing them a pendant, but she didn't really care all that much at the moment. Besides, she couldn't give up. Even if he was here, she would find that person!

"Also, Rei..." Lelouch chuckled sheepishly as he bent down, bringing himself down to eye level as he scratched his cheek. He really wasn't used to this. Oh well, at least he'd learn a few things. He was sure Sayoko would be surprised, but she would ultimately respect his decision. Nunnally was also sure to enjoy her company as well, especially since she's always been the doting sort of person. No doubt she'd be taken with Rei in a heartbeat. That in mind, he felt a bit confident in his decision. "If your okay with it... Me and Nunnally live in a clubhouse here on campus. If you want... you can live with us."

"but I already live with you Daddy..." she pointed out.

"I know." Lelouch corrected himself. "I meant that Nunnually would be living with us as well."

Rei's face brightened up immediately. "Aunty too?!"

"Yeah."

"Yay!" she cheered. She hasn't been able to see her aunt for the past couple years. She was ecstatic to learn she would be staying with them.

Lelouch grinned at her exurbanite attitude. That had gone much easier than he expected, though something told him that things would be rather lively back home with such a unique guest living in it.

* * *

"...brother. We need to talk."

A young boy voiced out. He appeared to be in his pre-teens with ridulously long, pale blonde hair and red eyes. He was dressed in ornate, white clothing ad a purple cape.

Slowly, a hulking figure turned to face the young child. He was a large man dressed in an ornate, elegant attire, and his hair pale white. He bore a well-groomed beard, and his body wide and brim. It was none other than Charles zi Britannia, the Emperor of the Holy britannian Empire.

"...Does it have anything to do with the distortion from the other day?"

"Yes it does."

"I see... What have you found out? Will it have any effect on our plans?"

"As far as I can tell, no. However, we've also received a few complications. It appears there's been a few structural damages to the project, but it isn't a real setback. It can be easily fixed." A frown appeared on the boy's face. "It's how the damage was caused that disturbs me."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean based on the distortion the other day."

It greatly disturbed him. The damage to the project had been caused by some sort of unknown disturbance, but what caused the disturbance, and what came of it, had been a headache for him. He's extensively examined it, but he found little fruits of his investigation. All he really knew was that the disturbance was centered around Ashford Academy, but he thought little of it. For all he knew, it must have had something to do with Clovis' experiments with C.C.

But, if that were the case, it made him wonder what the hell that idiot was thinking to have caused this. He was lucky this disturbance hadn't severely damaged the project. If he had, he would not allow the boy to get away with it. There was too much at stake.

"...So long as there is little damage, it is of little consequence." Charles waved the boy off. "The plan must be carried out, without delay."

"I am aware." the boy nodded. "Just in case, I will monitor the situation."

"Do what you will."

"Very well..." The boy bowed as he walked away.

As he did so, Charles closed his eyes. "It matters not what events shall transpire..." he muttered. "This world of lies... will not last forever."

* * *

Not even ten seconds after Rei was introduced to Nunnally did the blind girl immediately take a liking to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rei." Nunnally beamed.

"It's nice to meet you too, Aunty!" Rei gushed, hugging Nunnally tightly with the biggest grin Lelouch had seen yet. Personally, it made the boy chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. Really, he didn't know what it was about her, but she was a ball of energy that you couldn't help but feel attracted to. "Ne, ne! Can we be friends?"

"Of course we can." Nunnally nodded, equally ecstatic.

"Yay~!" In response, Rei hugged her further.

Lelouch let out a warm smile from seeing such a heartwarming sight.

"Master Lelouch," Sayoko said as she came down from the staircase. "I have prepared the guest room."

"Ah, thank you, Sayoko."

The Japanese woman nodded. She was filled in on the situation by Lelouch and Milly. And as puzzled as she was by it, she was happy to be meet the young girl.

Still, she wondered who in this day and age had such vibrant green hair.

"By the way, Sayoko," Lelouch spoke up, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course, milord." the maid nodded. "Is this in regards about Lady Rei?"

"Yeah, it does..." Lelouch nodded.

Sayoko nodded, and left the room for the kitchen, planning on beginning to make preparations for dinner. Meanwhile, Nunnally and Rei moved over to the dining room, chatting the way there. As they did, Lelouch frowned deeply in thought, still disturbed by the situation that had presented itself. _'There hasn't been any talk of the Emperor having any new spouses in the last few years,'_ he thought as he moved to the dining room as well, to keep the girls company as they waited for Sayoko. _'And Mother mentioned very little about the Lamperouge Family. Still, how on Earth did she get here? And... just who on Earth is her father?'_

That particular thought had him slightly confused. It was clear by Rei's reaction that he bore a striking resemblance to him, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the girl that he was someone else. It was also clear that she was somewhat familiar with Milly Ashford and Suzaku, which in turn raised even more questions.

It was as if she had been told about them for years. It shouldn't be possible since they are not particularly well known to be discussed about.

He could probably understand if it was Suzaku, whom was considered to be a traitor, having become an Honorary Britannian, but Milly?

She was simply the daughter of a former noble family who lost its title and privileges after his mother's murder.

The Ashfords had all but faded into the background, only remembered in passing as the family that had brought Marianne the Flash fame and glory, and into the Knights of the Round. He was curious to know how Rei learned of her, but he was more curious to know how much her father was know. If he knew Milly and Suzaku, it also begged the question how he knew of the Ashfords.

Based on this, there is a chance that her father really was from his mothers side of the family.

 _'I'll have to find out more about the Lamperouge family.'_ Lelouch concluded. He returned to reality and found Rei folding origami cranes. She handed one of them to Nunnally, who gently slid her fingers across it. "Oh..." she whispered in slight awe. "Is this a crane?"

"Mm!" the child nodded. "Mommy taught it to me! She said that if you fold a thousand cranes, your greatest wish will come true!"

"Miss Sayoko told me about it, too." Nunnally smiled. "Rei...what is your wish?"

Rei paused, tilting her head. "My wish...?" she hummed. "I..." She looked up, grinning. "I want to be with Daddy forever and ever, and the world a nice, gentle place!"

The blind girl smiled even brighter. "That is a wonderful wish!" she clapped her hands. "I want the world to be a much gentle more peaceful place as well." She turned to Lelouch. "What about you, Big Brother?"

His wish...? Why...he wanted nothing more than to watch the Britannian Empire burn to hell for what it's done to him, his mother, Suzaku, and Nunnally.

"...That's a secret," Lelouch said slyly, smiling. Rei pouted.

"Mou~ Daddy! It's not fair!" she whined. "Me and Aunty told you ours!"

"Sorry, Rei, but you'll just have to found out for yourself." he teased her as he ruffled her hair. Rei still pouted, but she smiled in joy as she enjoyed having her hair ruffled.

She missed this feeling. Even though it had only been a few days, Rei felt like it had been years since she last felt her father do this.

She couldn't help but wrap her arms around his waist, and nuzzle against him. "I love you, Daddy!" she proclaimed happily.

Rei did not notice how Lelouch visibly tensed at this.

He...was not used to this type of affection. Hell, he never even had any experience with paternal relations of any kind!

"I'm so happy, Lelouch!" Nunnally giggled, clapping her hands together. "Now I have a niece I get to spoil~"

Lelouch spluttered. "Wha-N-Nunnally!"

While his loved his little sister very much, her innocence and slight naivety can give him a headache over worrying about her constantly. And right now, he was DEFINITELY worried about this.

 _'Wonderful...'_ he mentally groaned. _'Just wonderful... Parenthood, here I come...'_

* * *

Suzaku sighed as he laid down on top of his bed, having returned to his apartment. "What a day..."

It had been a pretty hectic day. First there were these students who spray painted his shirt, which took him forever to wash out, thus taking up his whole break period, causing him to miss lunch, and he had a test in the next period. But none of them compared to what happened earlier that afternoon.

Meeting with that little girl, Rei.

That girl was a puzzle, and a mystery that literally showed up out of nowhere. According to Milly and Lelouch, she had suddenly appeared, right out of the blue, soaked to the bone. There hadn't been any rain recently, and the ocean was several miles out, far past the Settlement. It was obvious by that alone that she must have somehow ended up in the ocean somehow, or fell into a pool of some kind, and made her way to Ashford. That sort of trek must have been hard for a small girl like her, and probably scary, if she passed through the Ghettos. Those were no place for a child.

Still, what was most surprising was the fact that she had somehow mistaken Lelouch to be her father. Just the mere thought of it made an amused smile cross his face. Imagine that, his best friend, becoming a parent at sixteen... it was certainly something. It was all the more shocking to learn that she was actually related to Lelouch by blood, having received test results from a DNA scan.

It had to have been more than coincidence. Maybe she was related to Lelouch on his mothers side?

A sigh escaped him. "I get the feeling that things are going to be interesting tomorrow..." he muttered before his mind went back to the pendant Rei carried. "Just what about that pendant is so special that her father asked her to show it to someone at our school?"

It truly was a mystery. But according to Rei, it must be an extremely dire matter.

What really bothered Suzaku was the pendant itself.

It wasn't like anything he has ever seen before. And the strange symbol it had unsettled him for some reason.

He wasn't entirely sure why, but the symbol greatly disturbed him. He felt something nagging at the back of his mind, telling him to be weary, but he found no reason to feel as such. After all, it was just a pendant, albeit one with significance to Rei. It was, after all, the last thing she had to remember her father by. He was also curious about her parents as well, given that her father bore such a resemblance to Lelouch if she mistook his best friend for him.

"Maybe I can call in a favor to see if I can find her birth parents..." he hummed thoughtfully. "Who knows? We just might find a relative of Lelouch's...' A second thought passed his mind, and caused him to frown. "No, that'd be a bad idea. If she's related to Lelouch, then any search might result with him and Nunnally being found. Worse, Rei would be taken by Royal Family...".

He shuddered to think what would happen. It'd be bad enough that his best friend and his little sister would be used as political hostages by the Royal Family, but for that little girl to be used as one as well...

There was no way neither him nor Lelouch would allow that to would rather commit suicide than return to that god-forsaken place.

Lelouch had made it clear that, no matter what, he would never return to Pendragon, nor allow his sister to be taken either. And Suzaku was sure he wouldn't allow Rei to be taken either. As more thoughts continued to rampage in his mind, the more Suzaku became weary. A loud yawn ripped from his mouth, catching him off guard. _'I'm tired...'_ he thought as he closed his eyes. _'I'm sure things will work out. After all, what could go wrong?'_

* * *

Clovis was not happy. He was currently inside one of the research facilities he had allowed Bartley access to, where he had funded the project he had assigned him. "What the hell is this all about, Bartley?" he asked, clearly not happy about this visit. He had recently gotten word that his sister, Quinevere, was going to go visit to see the progress of Area 11, and that alone had caused worry. Quinevere wanted nothing short but perfection from her siblings, and wouldn't accept anything less. "I have something more important to do than listen to some progress report!"

"But my lord!" The balding researcher started. "We have good news! We are getting a response from the subject!"

The blonde prince's eyes widened. "What?!" he cried, this time out of shock and elation. "You have?!"

"Yes, my lord!" Bartely nodded strongly as he went over to the computer. "Yesterday, the subject showed unusual brain wave activity! It was almost as if she was reacting to some sort of internal, or perhaps external. We're still trying to figure out what the source of it was."

Clovis grinned giddily. "Well, it's about time...!" he said darkly. "Eight months late, but better late than never!" He quickly turned to face the other researchers. "Was there any abnormal activity yesterday when she started showing responses?"

"Yes, sir!" one researcher said quickly, also in excitement. "We found one such disturbance over by the Tokyo Settlement. According to the reports, it seems to be centered around the central area." He typed in a few keys, and displayed a map of the Settlement. Near the center was a red circle, highlight around...

"Ashford Academy?" Clovis frowned, clearly in confusion. "But, that's..."

A mere civilian Academy? Why would such a disturbance be located there? Moreover, why was it in the same area with the Ashfords? Such an oddity... but no matter. "Send someone to investigate Ashford," he ordered. "I don't care who."

"Very well, your majesty." Bartley bowed as he barked orders to nearby personnel to assign someone.

Meanwhile, the subject in question remained quiet inside her prison, her body curled in a fetal position, her movements restricted. However, slowly, her golden eyes opened. As they did, tears flowed from her face.

She did not understand this. Why did it feel like her heart was being stabbed and ripped to pieces? She had not felt such an emotion for so long...but she recognized it plain as day.

Sorrow.

Moreover... why was it, that whenever she saw that child's face in her mind... that she only felt an overwhelming sadness overtake her?

* * *

It had been early in the morning when Rei woke up, a wonderful smell flooding into her nostrils. She was only half-awake when it flooded into her nose, and needless to say, it made her mouth water. "Ooh..." she moaned. "Something... smells... good...~"

If this were a cartoon, she would be floating in midair as her nose guided her to the source of the pleasant aroma. But in this case, she sleepily walked to where the scent was coming from.

She descended down the staircase, and sure enough, Sayoko was preparing several plates on the kitchen table. The maid noticed the young girl standing there, and smiled. "Ah, Lady Rei," she bowed. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Miss Sayoko." The Green haired girl greeted politely. Her attention was more focused on the spread on the table.

Drool was already beginning to fall from her lips, her eyes glazed over. "Well, don't just stand there." Sayoko said, giggling. "Help yourself."

"Thank you~" Rei nodded gratefully as she took a plate and helped herself to generous portions of eggs, pancakes, bacon, and fruit.

As soon as she put the slice of bacon into her mouth, stars erupted in her eyes. "Soooooo goooooood~" she moaned. After that, she began to shovel food in her mouth, only to start coughing harshly, and quickly drank a large amount of water set aside for her. As soon as the abundant amount of food was washed down, she panted, patting her chest to help the food go down.

"Careful now," Sayoko advised. "Don't want to start choking to death, do you?"

"Sorry..." She apologized before giggling. She couldn't help it. The food was just soooo good~

The maid smiled. "I'm glad you liked it, Lady Rei."

"Rei's just fine, Miss Sayoko!"

She didn't like being called miss. It made her feel awkward. She was more comfortable with being simply referred to as Rei.

Sayoko nodded in understanding. "Very well."

Rei nodded gratefully before returning to her food. As she did so, she looked around the room. "Ne," she asked. "Where's Daddy and Aunty?"

"They've already left for school." Sayoko replied, earning a pout. Dang it all... she really wanted to go to school with Daddy! She wanted to see what Ashford was like, given that she was couped up in the nurse's room all day! "He also wished you the best before he left."

"Okay..." She said. Still, she was disappointed she couldn't go with her father and aunt to Ashford.

Her father had told her many tales about the school, about it's prestigious halls and learning. Her mother even suggested attending when she was old enough. To her, it sounded like fun to see for herself. If only her daddy where here. He would've showed her around it. Plus, she also heard about Milly's outlandish parties. She even had one where everyone dressed up like cats because it was a party for the welcoming of a cat named Arthur! Now **THAT** sounded like it was really fun. She wanted to be part of it too.

She tilted her head thoughtfully, pausing in place. _'I wonder if I can sneak in...'_

"I do hope your not thinking of sneaking into Ashford, Rei." The girl jumped, hearing the maid cut in sharply. "Master Lelouch has given me instructions not to allow you to cause any trouble, nor get yourself into any trouble. I take my job QUITE seriously."

"Aww...but why...?" She whined. "I just wanted to see the school..."

"Now now," Sayoko smiled. "Master Lelouch only said not to cause trouble, or get into trouble." The maid grinned. "I never said anything about you visiting."

Now this confused Rei, given Sayoko's earlier statement. "What? But you said..."

"Visitors aren't allowed during school hours, but there's nothing about them visiting after school, now is there?"

It was then that the girl understood. All she had to do was wait.

That being said... what was there to do? Waiting around was so boring! Thankfully, Sayoko seemed to have something in mind, evident by holding up a chess piece. Rei immediately understood what she was implying, and her eyes widened brightly. Despite not really understanding the game, she loved to play it with her father. Sure, she lost all the time, but it was also so fun to play!

"Yay!"

* * *

Jeremiah Gottwald was, for a word, confused. "A new assignment?"

"Yes." Bartley nodded curtly.

The Margrave had been called in around early morning as he was doing a routine check, as he was required. He wasn't about to complain, since being a Margrave doesn't come without political problems. He was swamped with work at the desk, and a new assignment would give him some breathing room. Besides, if what Bartley said was to be believed, it was an assignment directly from His Highness, Prince Clovis. No way in hell was he about to pass this up.

"So...what does my new assignment entail, Bartley?" Jeremiah inquired.

The balding General handed him a small stack of documents, held neatly in a folder. "There's been an unusual disturbance around the central area of the Settlement, primarily around Ashford Academy, a civilian education center." he explained. "Your to investigate the disturbance, and relay any information you uncover back to us."

Jeremiah's eyes widened. "Ashford...?" he whispered. "But that's..."

"Something the matter, milord?"

"...no, nothing."

Ashford...the name of the family that brought Lady Marianne to glory as the Knight of Two. However, after her murder, they lost power and left the homeland. To think that they have created an Academy in Area 11, the very land where the lives of Lady Marianne's children were lost in the war...

 _'This might be the lead I've been looking for...'_

"So, when do I begin?"

"Effective immediately." Bartley replied. "You can bring two others with you."

Jeremiah nodded in understanding. "Understood."

He knew already just who to bring with him.

* * *

"Another boring day as usual..." Rivalz sighed. "Same old classes, some old lectures, and no nobles to beat." The blue-haired male sighed. "Maaaaaaan, this sucks!"

"Oh, calm down, Rivalz." Lelouch admonished his friend. "It's not all bad. Besides, even if we did have our usual escapades, I wouldn't be able to go."

"Lemme guess, parenting duties?" Rivalz smirked, causing Lelouch to scowl. "Aw, how cute! Lelouch's acting like an adult for once. Nice going, 'Dad'~"

"...you've clearly been hanging around Milly too long."

"Really? What makes you say that?"

"Because that is exactly the sort of thing she'd say." Lelouch deadpanned.

"She would... Huh. What do you know?"

"But it is sort of the truth, Lelouch." Suzaku remarked as he entered the clubroom smiling. "In nearly two days, you've turned into a complete parent. All you need now is a mother, and your all set."

Lelouch scowled further. "Don't you start either, Suzaku. I'm just worried about her, that's all."

"Suuuuuure," his friend chuckled, clearly unconvinced. "Whatever you say, 'Daddy.'"

"Keep it up, Suzaku, and the entire school will know every embarrassing thing you've ever done since before the occupation."

"Wh-what?!" Suzaku yelped. What did he mean by that?! He couldn't possibly..!

"Oho, what are we talking about?" the infamous She-Devil questioned, appearing behind Suzaku's shoulder, effectively making him jump in shock. His face paled shortly afterwards. If Milly found out...! "And what is this I hear about Suzaku's dirty secrets?"

The teen in question gave Lelouch a pleading look.

Lelouch's face remained stoic, even from the face Suzaku was making. While it WAS tempting to reveal his secret to his friends as payback...he was better than that. "Nothing really, President."

Suzaku sighed in relief while Milly pouted. "Darn!" she cursed befor shaking her head. "Well, whatever. So, how's Rei?"

"She's doing fine, last I checked. Sayoko is currently looking after her."

Shirley smiled softly. "I'm glad she's okay..." she said before she frowned heavily. "But are you sure about this, Lulu? What will you do when she finds out that your not actually...?"

"Actually," Milly spoke up. "As it turns out, she is related to Lelouch through his mother's side."

"...Say what?" Shirley and Rivalz gaped. They really WERE related?!

Lelouch nodded. "Yeah. Unfortunately, I don't much about my mother's family, but it's likely Rei's from the Lamperouge family, and if that's the case, it should make finding her family easier."

It was a lie. But it was better than the alternative. As far as they were aware, he was simply an ordinary school student. That was how he preferred it, since he wasn't sure how they'd react to him being a prince. He trusted them a great deal, but under no circumstance would he reveal himself to them. It was better this way.

Living a lie rather than being crushed by the truth. It was better for them this way.

"So, how did she and Nunnally get along?" Suzaku asked out of curiosity, smiling widely. "Lemme guess, she all but loved her."

"You guess correctly, Suzaku."

The brunette chuckled. "I kinda figured." he said. "After all, I recall her saying something about wanting a niece to spoil."

The raven-haired teen groaned. "It figures she'd tell you that." He just hoped that Nunnally didn't tell anyone else...

Sadly, his hopes were dashed as Milly grinned widely. "Who would have thought that the cold and stoic Lelouch would be the doting parent?"

"Shut it, Milly."

 **-Part 2 of 5: END-**


	3. Episode 03

_Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect_

* * *

 **"** **Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt." -Sun Tzu**

* * *

In the following months since Rei's arrival, Ashford had changed quite a bit. Before long, news about the girl's presence and her being in the care of Lelouch spread across campus. Somehow, as rumors were prone to do, many people began to (accurately) believe that Rei was in fact Lelouch's daughter. Of course, few had actually seen the girl, so there was a variety of theories of her actual age and who the mother might be.

The exiled prince had never felt so exhausted in all of his life. Between dealing with Milly's antics and the stress of gambling in high-stakes games, he never believed he could be so tired. "You look dead to the world." Suzaku remarked dryly as he handed his friend a cup of tea. "Here you go. You like green tea, right?"

"Yeah." Lelouch nodded as he gratefully accepted it. "Thanks a bunch." With gusto, Lelouch drank a large gulp and immediately regretted it, coughing as he grabbed his throat. "H-hot...!"

Suzaku laughed. "That's what you get for going in headfirst." he said at his expense, leaving his friend to growl. "Still, I didn't think people would find out about Rei-chan so quickly. Especially since she's only been here for like, what? Two months? Three tops?"

"Three and a half." he corrected. "But people were bound to find out." Lelouch sighed as he dragged his hand down his face, showing how tired he really looked. "But some of the theories these people come up with are just too ridiculous."

Some theories include how he was his daughter from a one night stand with some girl. Another was that she was the product of the union between him and a noble woman.

And that was only some of the more tame ones. Luckily for him, Milly was running damage control and dispelling those rumors, but otherwise a lot of people were convinced by one theory or another. His reputation had taken a small dip, but he couldn't care less about that. He never cared about how people perceived him in the first place. As far as he was concerned, his priorities were school, his friends and his sister. And of course Rei. In these last months, he's genuinely come to care for her, even though he still felt bad for lying that he was her father. Lelouch was still looking into that, but Rei unfortunately did not have a photo of him on her person. Just the pendant.

And there was still no news about that angle, either. Nobody at Ashford had any clues whatsoever about the pendant. But that didn't make any sense. If Rei's father knew someone at Ashford who knew the significance about that pendant, enough so that he would willingly send her there alone, then why had no one turned up? Was it possible that they were no longer here? He'd have to run that by Ruben once he had the time.

"How's Rei doing, anyway?" Suzaku asked as he took a sip of his own beverage. "I imagine she's bored out of her mind, being couped up in the clubhouse for most of the day."

Lelouch smiled. "She's doing pretty well. Sometimes Sayoko takes her shopping. She keeps pestering me about letting her come with me and Rivalz on our runs."

At the mention of his escapades, which were also common knowledge in the Student Council and a few outside of it, Suzaku frowned heavily in disapproval. "I still think Shirley has the right idea." he said, clearly concerned over his best friend's safety. "Gambling is just as risky as the game itself. Especially when nobles are concerned. One of these days, they won't just pay more out of pride. Ruben already told you that he's covered your expenses while you stay here."

"And I'm thankful for that. Really, I am. But there are some things that I need to do for myself."

The Japanese brunette scowled. "But you have Rei to look after too, now. What happens when, one day, you don't come back and she asks where you are?"

"What are you getting at, Suzaku?"

"In case you forgot, me being at Ashford in the first place is because of you and Princess Euphemia. She asked me to look after you, even if you don't like it!"

"I know, I know..." he said.

"Then please start being more considerate and stop this habit."

Lelouch scowled slightly. Ever since the day Euphemia had apparently asked him to look after him, in case he did something stupid, Suzaku had joined Shirley non-stop in their quest to try and get him to stop gambling. It had taken all of Leouch's cunning just to slip past him. It was slowly becoming more and more tiresome, however. He knew full well that his gambling could net him into some deep trouble, but he couldn't just allow Ruben to do everything. He had to pull his own weight in taking care of Nunnally. Especially now that Rei had joined the household.

"Fine." he relented, sagging his shoulders. "I'll lay off the gambling for a while. Happy now?"

Suzaku smiled slightly. "I will once you've given up completely." he said, much to his friend's ire. "Seriously, Lelouch. Is it really so hard to accept help from others?"

 _'Yes...'_ he wanted to say.

Because relying on other people would one day end with him being betrayed. He's suffered that enough when he thought he could rely on the people his mother called her 'friends' and the Emperor who he believed would want to find out who killed his mother. What did they do? The 'friends' watched in silence and said nothing. His father called off the investigation and banished him and his sister when he confronted him about it. He knew he could trust Ruben and Suzaku. Explicitly so, but even still...

Thankfully, Suzaku had changed the subject as he looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Speaking of help, what do you think about the new teachers Ruben hired? What were their names again?"

"Jeremiah Gottwald and Villetta Nu." Lelouch answered, grateful his friend had changed the subject without meaning to. "Professor Gottwald is actually the head of the Purist Faction, though apparently he's on medical leave, it seems."

"Medical?" Suzaku tilted his head. "What happened?"

Lelouch shrugged. "Don't know. Honestly, I'm not interested." Not entirely true. And that very piece of information left him suspicious. Why was the head of the Purist Faction a teacher of all things during leave?

The man had come by around the same time Rei had arrived at Ashford and into his care. He wanted to write it off as coincidence, but he was too paranoid. He had been hired a few weeks after Rei had come under his care, and he occasionally caught the man giving him odd glances. Lelouch wanted to write it off, but years of hiding away from public out of fear of being recognized left him incredibly paranoid. Something he recognized but couldn't do anything about. He made sure to keep an eye out for Gottwald while also keep his distance. The man made no move to approach him, but he could never be too careful.

Lelouch then sighed as he took another drink of his tea. _'So troublesome...'_

* * *

 _ **Episode 3: Days of Reminisce**_

* * *

When Jeremiah first saw Lelouch Lamperouge, the so-called black prince of Ashford and vice-president of the Student Council, he could have sworn he was staring at a ghost come back to haunt him for his failures.

Hell, the boy even had the same maiden name Lady Marianne had before her marriage to the Emperor! He even bore a striking resemblance from her as well: raven black hair and purple eyes that glimmered like gems, brimming with intelligence. It was as if Fate was mocking him for his most grievous failure.

A small part of him had hoped the boy was perhaps Lelouch vi Britannia, one of Lady Marianne's children. The resemblance was uncanny. Had his young lord survived the invasion, he had no doubt that he would look just like that. He even had a younger sister named Nunnally, who was bound in a wheelchair and supposedly blind. He's yet to encounter her, but such facts only raised his hopes.

A slight deterrent to his belief was the news that Lelouch Lamperouge was apparently already a father at the age of 17. He sincerely doubted his highness was so frivolity in pursuing courtships, though another small part of him reminded himself that the Emperor had many wives himself, on top of many children.

He had seen the girl, Rei Lamperouge, for himself. She was quite young. Nowhere even close to the tender age of ten. Her green hair was quite a contrast to her purple eyes, but her young appearance also reminded Jeremiah of Lady Nunnally, having once stood guard as he watched Lady Marianne's children playing together with Lady Euphemia. It was biased to think that Lelouch Lamperouge may truly be Lord Lelouch, based on this fact, but he kept reminding himself that he couldn't afford to be thinking about the past.

"Lord Jeremiah?"

The Purist Leader was shaken from his thoughts as he looked up, finding Villeta standing at his desk with a steaming mug in her hand. She wasn't dressed in her uniform, though her jersey and tight-fitting short did little to hide her curves. It was a shame she wasn't married nor was in a relationship. She was very beautiful. Of course, personally speaking, he held nothing romantic towards her. He was more along the lines of being married to his job.

"Sorry, Villeta." he apologized to her as he accepted the mug gratefully as she held it to him. "I was lost in thought. Did you learn anything new?"

"Not any more than we already know, I'm afraid." She shook her head. "Whatever Prince Clovis is investigating with what little information we've been provided, there's no sign of those abnormalities we've been tasking with looking into."

"I see. That is concerning. We still do not know the cause of these abnormalities."

In fact, they weren't sure what abnormalities they were even looking for. So far, the only abnormality he had seen was with the school's student faculty. What in the world was Ruben Ashford thinking, allowing lowly Elevens to attend these halls? While the man was most definitely kind-hearted and generous, allowing those degenerates to pursue a higher education, he had only see them for what they were. Every day, there was at least a good four or five who protested to the history that Britannia had warped. They resisted the changes that were being placed upon them. Admirable, yes, but ultimately useless. They were defeated. Why couldn't they just understand that and accept it? Trying to change something that was now well established was foolish.

Then again, perhaps there was bliss in foolishness. He may have been like that as well, had he wallowed in his failure.

Regardless, the Elevens that attended here were fools nonetheless. As much as he wanted to berate them, he was to play by his role's rules and educate them to the best of his abilities. Thankfully, he was only teaching history and literature. Villeta was teaching mathematics and physical education.

Speaking of which...

"Is there a reason why you look so irritated, Villeta?" he asked. "For the last few weeks, you look ready to hop into a Knightmare and kill someone."

The dark-skinned noblewoman's distaste was made perfectly clear as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Lelouch Lamperouge." was all she said and he immediately understood. "Every week, at least twice, he skips out on his classes. Ignoring his education is one thing, but I refuse to tolerate him purposely skipping out on his physical education. He's a nobleman for heaven's sake!"

Though they were undercover, Villeta had immediately taken a serious stance on her job. If he were honest, she was better suited to being a teacher than a Knight, though he would never say that for worry of her pride. She was already quite popular with the staff and numerous others, something of a role model for the female students who often came by and ask her for advice, but she was also very strict. Jeremiah idly wondered if, had she not been born into a noble house, she would have taken up a job as a teacher.

"Not to mention the reason behind his constant absence is gambling of all things." Villeta continued to rant with fervor. "I've even heard he has a child with him! Does he not have any idea what sort of trouble he could get himself into?!"

"But that's is only what the rumors say. We don't know for sure if it is fact."

"It still doesn't change the fact that he's putting himself into heedless danger." Villeta refuted as she scowled. "Honestly, youth these days...!"

"I agree." The youth these days are such a reckless bunch.

Then again, so were adults, depending on who you ask. Jeremiah took another drink from his coffee before he leaned back in his seat. "His Highness hasn't told us what we're looking for, yet we turn in reports regardless." he said with slight dissatisfaction with how their mission was progressing. "What exactly is Prince Clovis looking for, I wonder...?"

* * *

"Very good, Rei-chan. You're doing very well." Sayoko praised the young girl.

At Lelouch suggestion for the girl to have something to do while he was at school, Sayoko had become the girl's own private tutor. Rei wasn't exactly happy about doing work like that, but she had to find some way to deal with her boredom besides drawing little pictures. They had started around a month or go, and Sayoko had been very impressed. Despite Rei's relatively young age, she was learning incredibly quick. She would put her at maybe the fourth or fifth grade.

Now, she didn't truly believe the stories that the girl was Lelouch's daughter, but she can't help but notice that intellectually, they were similar. She picked up the material about as fast as he did when he was a child. As she grew older, Sayoko was certain she would be a genius. Perhaps she already was one.

"Daddy used to teach me this stuff all the time." Rei said with a bright grin. "He even taught me how to play chess!" As she recalled those fond memories, though, she soon began to pout. "But I never beat him once ! He's a big cheater!"

Sayoko giggled. "Unfortunately, Rei-chan, you can't cheat in chess." she told her. "The only real way to beat someone is to get smarter and outwit your opponent. Did you play chess with your father often?"

"Mmhm! All the time!"

"Then you're an experienced player. The only way to grow as a player and strategist is to accumulate more experience and learn how to strategize." She advised.

"It's how masters of the game are born." Sayoko then giggled, a hand at her mouth. "It's also how Master Lelouch became so good. He often played chess with his brothers, though he could never quite beat his second eldest brother."

Rei's eyes widened considerably. "Eh?! Someone that daddy couldn't beat?!"

"Yes. He was was even more skilled chess player than master Lelouch."

The girl could hardly believe that. Admittedly, her father had not spoken much about his opponents or how long he had been playing. She always lost regardless of the time that had passed. He was like a mountain that was too tall. Too daunting. Yet now she learned that someone, apparently her uncle, had managed to pass it. She didn't believe it at first, though. No matter who they were, her father would definitely beat them one day. He never gave up in what he did. That was what made him the best person in the world, after all!

"By the way, Rei-chan, I've been curious." Sayoko said as she prepared the next set of questions for her, based around the events of Washington's Rebellion. "I know your father quite well, but what about your mother? What was she like?"

The small girl's mood dropped. "I...I don't know...I can't remember her..."

Sayoko frowned heavily. "Do you...wish to talk about it?"

"...not right now..." She replied sadly.

The maid said nothing more and bowed her head. "Alright then. Let's change the subject." she decided to amend her mistake and move on to something else. "Why not tell me about this Zero character you keep drawing."

The girls demeanor perked up upon mentioning Zero. "He's a hero. He's the miracle worker who will change the world!" she said excitedly with stars in her eyes. "He's the Leader of the Black Knights! The knights of justice!"

"The Black Knights?" She questioned.

Rei nodded exuberantly. Her father had raised her on the stories about the Black Knights and their exploits. Though it was mostly about Zero. She had even seen him on the news a few times as well.

To her, he was a hero. He was her idol. How else could you describe someone like that? She did notice her dad was a little uncomfortable at times whenever he told her about it, but he never stopped indulging in her requests. Sometimes, she'd ask to hear the same stories, over and over again. Since they usually didn't watch TV, especially since Auntie couldn't see and had to use a radio, Rei settled for drawing the man.

And of course, she drew him quite a lot.

As she was about to return to her lessons, she heard the doors to the clubhouse swing open and footsteps ring in the air before a familiar face with violet eye and black hair poked its head out into the room. "I'm back."

"DADDY!"

No sooner had Lelouch returned had Rei bolted from her seat and slammed into him, bear-hugging his waist as tightly as possible and nuzzling her head against him. Lelouch nearly found himself stumbling over from the collision, but otherwise managed to stay upright.

It was an event that became a normal occurrence to him. When it first happened, he was easily toppled over by the young girl. Now he was able to remain upright.

Strangely, he found himself enjoying it too. Soon, he gave a smile and ruffled the little girl's hair. "Hey, Rei. Sorry I took so long."

"You always take too long...!" She pouted. "Why do you have to go to school, anyway? You never had to when it was just us!"

Lelouch rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry. A lot of things came up. Tell you what. I'll make it up to you when the weekend rolls around. How does that sound?"

"Okay!" She grinned happily. She now had something to look forward to.

From where she stood, Sayoko giggled. She had to admit, ever since Rei came to live with them, things had certainly become much brighter in an otherwise gloomy household. Even though he lived with Nunnally, the young man always had such a brooding face. Constantly scowling. Now, however, she caught him smiling more often.

It was almost as if the young girl truly is her ward's daughter.

As heartwarming and as beautiful as the thought would have been, however, Sayoko knew her lord better than that. To her understanding, he apparently possessed an incredible likeness to Rei's father and simply played the part, if only because they were apparently family. According to the blood tests, she was born in the royal family, but was specifically related to him. Since there had been no new news of a new addition to the Britannian Royalty, and given that she was related to Lelouch and Nunnally, they believed she was a relative of the Lamperouge Family. Possibly someone related to Marianne. Sadly, Lelouch did not know much about his mother's birth family, as most of their records had seemingly vanished from public records. Probably due to Charles zi Britannia, no doubt. Though for what reason? To hide the Lamperouge Family from the assassins who murdered his wife? Very unlikely, since he called off the investigation into her murder.

Regardless, it warmed her heart to see the young boy acting the way he should be. Of course, credit did not all go to Rei alone. Nunnally had most certainly helped the process. Along with the occasional embarrassing moments when she gleefully reminded Lelouch that she finally had a niece she could spoil and spoil she did. Whenever they were given the chance, the two girls could be seen, practically joined at the hip as they spent time together. Rei often regalled Nunnally tales her father told her while Nunnally taught her a few things.

Sayoko, in all honesty, had never seen the residence that the two exiled royals lived in so bright and happy. It also made her worry about the future might hold for them as well, and what could possibly happen to return it to its gloomy state.

 _'Best not to think so negatively.'_ she chided herself, shaking her head as she watched Rei pull Lelouch over to the table, showing off all the studies she had completed with a beaming smile on her face. _'After all, one must treasure these moments.'_

* * *

"You seem to be happier these days, Suzaku." At the mention of his name, the brown-haired Japanese youth looked up from his schoolwork, finding a young woman dressed in a brown military uniform with a dark green tie and blue hair cut short at the chin, a beaming smile on her face while carrying a tray of rice balls. "Something good happen recently?"

Suzaku chuckled. "You could say that, Miss Cecile." he said before he gratefully accepted one of the rice balls. Out of the corner of his eye, he found a few other mechanics in the garage giving him pitying looks, though he ignored them before biting into the rice ball. As soon as he did, a bizarre flavor that most certainly did not belong in a rice ball invaded his taste buds, causing him to wince. Not wanting to offend Cecile, who worked hard on this no doubt, he put on a face and swallowed what he bit into. "It's...good." he hesitated, hoping she wouldn't notice. "Did you add jam into this?"

"I did!" Cecile beamed. "What did you think? I tried asking Lloyd, but I couldn't find him anywhere."

'I don't blame him.' Suzaku thought with a sweatdrop. 'I had hoped that all that talk about Miss Cecile being a terrible cook was just that. Talk. But...'

Given how he was tasting the evidence himself...it seemed to be the case that she did not have a gift for culinary arts. However, he did not want to hurt her feelings, so he kept a straight face and tried his best to swallow the food.

"Well, if I see him, I'll give you a holler." he told her, silently praying hiss boss never came around. Cecile nodded in gratitude before she noticed Suzaku looking past her. Following his gaze, she saw him looking at a piece of machinery hidden underneath a large brown tarp. Given how it was standing upright and he could make out metal feet, he immediately assumed it was a Knightmare. "I've always wanted to ask, but what kind of project did Lloyd bring me on?" he asked, looking at Cecile. "I mean, until five months ago, I was just your average soldier before you guys scouted me."

Cecile giggled. "I suppose Lloyd never did tell you." she said. Suzaku tilted his head in confusion. "ASEEC, or Camelot Unit, is funded by Second Prince Schneizel, so we have free reign to choose whatever personnel we desire. Having you transferred here was thanks to that privelege."

"I fail to see why me having a high score in a Knightmare Frame Simulator has anything to do with a research unit, though." he pointed out. "Also, I'm an Honorary Britannian. I'd never be allowed to pilot a Knightmare. Hell, I wouldn't even be able to become a Knight."

That was the sad truth behind the Honorary Britannian system. Even if one had enlisted in the military, the odds of being promoted were almost second to none. And there was a zero possibility of ever becoming eligible for knighthood. Honorary Britannians were allowed to participate in the training simulators, but no one ever actually expected them to have the opportunity to pilot a Knightmare. Especially with the Purebloods being the strongest political force in the military. So long as they had power, there was DEFINITELY no choice anyone would be knighted.

"You never know." Cecile giggled. "We're a different sort of unit, after all. As for the project itself, it's nearly completed. The data you've provided us has been invaluable, Suzaku. More than you think. Thanks to you, it will be finished within the next month or two."

"Well, I'm glad I could help. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of project is it? A new Knightmare?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, it is. The world's first ever seventh generation Knightmare, to be exact!"

"The first ever? Seriously?" Suzaku questioned in amazement. To think Lloyd's project was the next generation in Knightmare Frame technology. "That's...amazing!"

"Indeed it is. All we need now is a capable Devicer and this baby will finally get to see the light of day!" A new voice cut into the conversation. Turning to their right, they saw a lanky man with short, white, wavy hair walk up to them. He had a pale complexion and wore spectacles. His attire was a pair of black trousers and a lab coat. On his face was a mischievous grin.

The man was Suzaku's employer and the whole reason he was even so much as allowed to have met Princess Euphemia so many months ago. Lloyd Asplund. And despite his rather disheveled appearance, he was also an Earl. Something Suzaku had trouble believing some days.

"Lloyd!" Cecile exclaimed. "Where were you?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just turning in the daily report." Lloyd shrugged, his grin never vanishing. "Honestly, Bartley really is an impatient one. He really should learn how to relax." He then turned his attention to Suzaku. His grin grew wider. "And how's our favorite school boy doing today?"

"Just finishing up homework, Lloyd." Suzaku replied. He glanced at the tray of riceballs and tried to hide them from view. He didn't want Lloyd to be subjected to this. That, and knowing his boss, he'd likely be blunt about how horrible it tasted. "So, what did General Bartley want?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Just technical reports on the Lancelot. Even though we're almost finished with it, he's awfully eager to put it on the back burner. Something about it not being properly tested. When I asked if he had a list of Devicers ready, he just brushed me off." Lloyd laughed. "Shame we already have a Devicer."

"And I've told you before, Lloyd, that as incredible as that would be, the odds of me being knighted are next to none." he reminded the man. "Even if Prince Schneizel is backing Camelot."

Lloyd clicked his tongue while waving a finger. "You never know, Suzaku. By the way, Jeremiah Gottwald recently got hired as a professor at your school, isn't that right?"

Suzaku frowned, but nodded. "Yeah. He's on medical leave, isn't he?"

"Not what I heard." Lloyd replied, causing Suzaku to blink in confusion. "I overheard Bartley mentioning that Jeremiah and another Purist are apparently working on a mission for the Viceroy. What, though, I couldn't tell you. Something about a disturbance. Has anything happened over at Ashford recently?"

 _'You mean other than Rei showing up?'_ he wanted to say, but he shook his head and instead answered, "None that I can think of. The strangest thing that's happened is Milly suggesting the idea of a Crossdresser's Ball for the next Culture Festival, but other than that..."

"A cross dressers ball?" Cecile questioned in both confusion and slight amusement.

"Yeah...please don't ask." He shook his head. He should've kept shut about that. "Just thinking about it makes it awkward."

Lloyd, however, looked curious. "I wasn't aware the Ashford Heiress was into that sort of thing." he remarked before he shrugged. "Then again, Ashfords are known for their peculiarity."

* * *

It was the weekend, and as promised, Lelouch had made up for lost time by taking Rei out into the Settlement for some shopping. He needed to restock the fridge anyway, so this was much easier. He could have put it off and spent the whole day, but Rei was a bundle of energy. He didn't have enough stamina to do that. Shopping, on the other hand, would be much easier.

Thankfully, everyone just seemed to think that it was a brother and his little sister as they walked while he held her hand in his. The last thing he needed was for the public outside of school to be ware of the rumors. So he best kept his mouth shut about the ordeal. He even convinced Rei not to call him her father when out in public...with the persuasion of a promise of ice cream of course.

"You'r sure your just satisfied with going out with me?" Lelouch asked, a bag of groceries in hand. "You can be selfish and ask for something. I've got plenty of pounds for us to spend."

Rei, however shook her head and smiled happily. "I'm fine just being with you!"

Spending an entire day with her father? That was all she really wanted. It was enough for her. She loved her father, and just spending time with him made her happy. She didn't need anything else.

All she needed was to spend time with her family. Especially after what happened so long ago. She felt cold just thinking back to what happened back in their old home over by the lake. She was a bit confused why her beloved father had managed to get himself a second home, but she didn't care. Nor the fact that Auntie was now living with them too! What more could she possibly have asked for, especially since she was with all of her father's friends now?!

She heard stories about them, but never met them in person before. They were all so amazing. Shirley, Milly, and Rivalz were very kind. Nina was too, although she seemed very shy to the girl. And Suzaku was really caring.

She did wonder about the other friend her father mentioned. What was her name again? Kallen?

"Hey, Lelouch!" Rei looked to her side and found Rivalz coming up to them, a grin on his face. "Rei!"

Lelouch blinked. "Rivalz? What're you doing here?" he asked. "I thought you said you were going to be helping Milly with something."

"Oh, he is~" Milly said as she popped up from behind. Rei stared at the blonde she devil in awe, namely in how good she looked in that stunning blue dress of hers with a white short-sleeved jacket over it, a white choker and a wide-brimmed hat atop her head. All of that, coupled with her grin, made her look like some kind of super model. "He's currently my mule!"

"Mule?" Rei asked. "What does that mean?"

"She means I'm carrying her bags during her shopping spree." The blue haired teen answered, raising his arms to show the bags he has on hand. "We're preparing for the Culture Festival!"

Lelouch stared at Milly with a flat look. "...you're going through with the Cross Dresser Ball, aren't you?"

"Oh you know me so well, Lelouch." She had a mischievous smirk. "And as it just so happens, I've already picked out a dress for you!"

"I swear, if you picked a wedding dress for me again..."

"Um..." Rei tilted her head cutely, clearly confused. "What's cross-dressing?"

The tree teens froze as they looked down to the little girl. They had nearly forgotten she was there. Milly, for the first time, looked vastly uncomfortable. Rivalz looked off to the side, whistling innocently and scratching his cheek. Lelouch didn't look the least bit amused as he glared at Milly, folding his arms over his chest. "I am not fixing this." he told the President bluntly. "Nor am I taking responsability."

"S-sorry..." she apologized rather meekly.

"What's cross dressing?" Rei asked again. "Is it like dress up?"

"K-kind of..." Milly stammered. "B-but it's different from dress up."

"How?"

It was a shame Lelouch didn't have a camera on him. He would have taken a picture of Milly's unusually nervous expression and treasured it and possibly use it for blackmail.

* * *

Milly and Rivalz joined Lelouch in his shopping trip, making the day much more lively. After she had given an abridged version of the crossdressing ball to Rei whilst not being too descriptive or the meaning behind it, she spent time with the little girl and keeping her company while Lelouch had followed through on his promise of ice cream. It took a while to find a vendor, but he eventually found one at the park.

"You know, you've changed." Rivalz suddenly said, much to his confusion. "You hardly ever smiled. And even when you did, it wasn't, you know, like this."

"Like how?"

"Like you're actually happy for once."

Now that surprised Lelouch. Did he really not look happy back then? "Really?"

"Yeah. It's like you're genuinely smiling now."

His friend nodded. "The only other times I see you smiling like that is when your with Nunnally or something." He then gave a small chuckle as Lelouch momentarily turned back to the vendor, who finished grabbing the Popsicle. "By the way..." Looking back at Rei, who was chatting away happily with Nunnally, he leaned over to Lelouch and whispered. "Anything new on her dad yet?"

"Unfortunately, nothing so far." Lelouch shook his head in dismay. "We tried searching, but found no results as of yet."

"Not even on your side of the family?"

"I haven't found any records yet." Not surprising, since the Emperor had erased it himself. Bastard. "I don't want to continue lying to Rei, but..."

Rivalz held up a hand. "I understand, man." he said. "Just... Better brace yourself when you have to come clean."

Lelouch already knew that. He's been bracing himself since he decided to look after her. He was still dreading that day, knowing that it will come when he finally knows more about the truth. Rei had become so attached to him, and she had most certainly made Nunnally happy in more ways than he could have possibly imagined. The image of her leaving, the bond she made while here torn asunder, was enough to make him wince internally. Instead, he sighed and dipped his head in silent agreement.

"By the way..." Rivalz changed the subject as he smirked, wrapping an arm over his shoulder. "You free next month?"

Already having an inkling suspicion of what he could be asking, Lelouch nodded. "Yeah. Is someone asking for us?"

"Yep. I hear he's pretty loaded. Client's some shop owner in debt. You up for it?"

Lelouch paused to think, remembering his conversation with Suzaku about his gambling. He promised not to gamble against the nobility for not only his and Euphemia's sake, but for Rei's as well. And if he broke his promise...they wouldn't be too happy about that.

Then again, what they couldn't know wouldn't hurt them.

 _...right?_

 **-Part 3 of 5: END-**


End file.
